![]() Although, a small percentage of the blend comes from a selection of single-vineyard parcels, of which mature in old French barrels. In the cellar, the grapes are gently pressed then fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. By way of biodynamic farming, they plow the soils, fertilize with natural compost, plant cover crops between the rows of vines, and hand harvest smaller yet higher-quality yields than their neighbors. The hard work in the vineyards coupled with traditional winemaking in the cellar is what makes this unrivaled expression possible. Their dedicated work in the vineyards beautifully transmits the ethereal essence of the silex and Kimmeridgian limestone soils, as well as profound levels of energy and focus in their wines. While their fathers had always practiced natural winemaking techniques, it was the cousins who passionately pushed for organic and biodynamic certification, and they obtained it in the mid-2000s. ![]() After extensive studies around the world, they returned to their hometown with a passion for the purest vineyard practices possible. In charge of this incredible legacy are cousins, Jean-Laurent and Jean-Dominique Vacheron, who took the reins from their fathers. It is in this idyllic setting where the Vacherons have crafted world-class Sancerre for generations. The medieval village of Sancerre rests on the eastern edge of the appellation atop a hillside that overlooks a surrounding sea of vineyards. And yet, it’s most certainly poised to develop even more mind-bending complexity in the far reaches of your cellar. After a brief decant, this wine demands to be acknowledged as the apex of Sancerre, with its stunning depth, mineral-loaded texture, and pulse-quickening tension. In other words, today’s highly allocated 2019 Sancerre is a quintessential Sauvignon Blanc at its most profound and iconic. Vacheron’s dedication to farming and traditional winemaking, coupled with top vineyard holdings, results in timeless expressions of place with staggering varietal purity, just like the iconic bottlings of Raveneau Chablis, Weinbach Riesling, and Knoll Grüner. ![]() So, we wait, hoping and praying a call will come. Really, there’s not much you can do when quantity remains static yet demand, quality, and prices are at an all-time high. But that difficulty comes nowhere close to matching the grueling efforts to obtain an allocation in today’s fierce landscape: Despite seven years of offering Vacheron’s collection of Sancerre as if they were hot-ticket prescriptions, we’re now stuck on perpetual standby. ![]() It’s becoming increasingly difficult to write about Loire legend Domaine Vacheron because they continue to outdo themselves and I’m bound to run out of superlatives at a certain point. Domaine Vacheron, Sancerre Blanc Loire Valley, France 2019 (750mL) ![]()
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